Anesthesia and surgery restraining device



1942- R. G, PETERSON 2,295,806

ANAESTHESIA AND SURGERY RESTRAINING DEVICE Filed Jan. 50, 1942 2Sheets-Sheet'l .[nvewior Aiiorrze Us Sept. 15, 1942. R. G. PETERSON2,295,806

ANAESTHESIA AND SURGERY RESTRAINING DEVICE Filed Jan. 30, 1942 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Aiiarmq 2,75

Patented Sept. 15, 1942 ANESTHESIA AND SURGERY RESTRAINING DEYICE RalphG.. Peterson, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application January 30, 1942; Serial No. 428,837

Claims.

This invention relates to restraining devices and more particularly todevices for restraining the hands and arms of the patient againstmovement. In numerous cases of dental surgery when the patient is placedunder a general anesthetic he becomes exceptionally unruly duringcertain stages of the anesthesia. In other cases where local anestheticsare used it is difficult for the patient to restrain himself due tonervous reaction. This is particularly prevalent amongst children.Another example where restraining devices are used is in the case ofcertain types of brain operations which cannot be performed with thepatient lying down. The operation is performed with the patient in asitting position and if he is under general anesthetic he tends to slumpdown in the chair so that means must be provided to maintain him in thenecessary posture.

While the device is particularly intended for use in cases whereanesthesia and/or surgery are used the restraining device is also usefulin the handling of mental patients who at times become extremely unruly.

It is a general object of my invention to provide a restraining devicewhich will. firmly hold the arms of the patient so that they cannotflailabout and at the same time retain the patient in the proper positiondesired for medical or surgical treatment.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for additionallyholding the hands of the patient in a more complete restraint where theconditions require it.

A further object of the invention is to provide a restraining device ofthe general character set forth above wherein the various portionsthereof can be quickly and easily connected and disconnected and whereinsafety means is provided to insure against accidental release of therestraint through attempted movements of the patient.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fullyappear from the fol.- lowing description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to thesame parts throughout the views, and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a patient seated in a chair with myinvention secured in position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail with the body belt in place and the wriststraps unattached;

Fig. 3 is a view similarto Fig; 2 with thewrist straps secured inposition;

Fig. 4 showsthe arrangement of Fig. 3 with the addition of restrainingmeans encircling the hands;

Fig. 5 illustrates the securing of, an. anchoring strap; and

Fig. 6- is a plan View of the entire restraining apparatus removed fromthe patient.

In the drawings there is shown a body beltv l which is adapted to extendacross the lower body portion of the patient and be suitably securedaround the back of a chair such as the chair 8 shown partially in Fig.1'. It will be seen from the figures that the patient is placed in aseated position with the hands together and with the body belt Ioverlying the wrists. Extending downwardly from the forwardly disposedintermediate portion of the body belt I are wrist straps 9 which areshown to diverge from each other. The upper end portions of the straps 9are provided with a series of fastener heads I I. and the lower or freeends of said wrist straps 9 are provided with fastener sockets l2, thesockets having their open portions on the undersides of said wriststraps in Figs. 2 through 5. In Fig. 3 the wrist straps 9 are shownafter they have been passed beneath the wrists and then over so that oneof the fastener sockets I2 is placed over onto the fastener heads H tosecure each of the straps about the wrists of the patient.

In Figs. 2' and 3 there is shown a pair of short safety straps 13 oneend of each strapv being secured to the body belt I in any suitablemanner such as by sewing and the free end of each strap being providedwith a fastener socket l4 adapted to snap over adjacent fastener headsMa in the manner shown in Fig. 3. Thus the safety straps l3- overlie thelooped wrist straps 9 to prevent their separation. It is well understoodin the fastener art that head and socket fasteners are generallyseparated by nearly axial pulling movement and with the safety strapsplaced over the wrist straps where their adjacent end portions arefastened together by the head and socket fasteners the patient can twisthis arms and attempt to swing them about with a considerable amount offorce but the wrist straps 9 will remain connected because of the safetystraps l3 which overlie them.

In Fig. 4 there is shown an anchor strap l5 having a loop H5 at itsupper end. Near the up per end of the anchor strap l5 a cross strap [5ais secured thereto and said cross strap la is shown looped about thehands of the patient to pull them closely together. The upper endportion of the anchor strap [5 is passed up beneath the hands ofthe-patient. and also beneath the body belt I and thence broughtdownwardly over the top of said body belt I in the manner shown in Fig.5. The lower portion of the anchor strap I5 is first passed beneath aknee encircling strap I1 and thence upwardly through the loop I6 andfinally brought down upon itself as shown in Fig. 5. It will be seenthat the lower portion of anchor strap I5 is provided with pairs offastener elements, each pair being made up of a socket I8 and head I9.The strap is pulled tight through the loop I 6 and adjacent pairs offastener elements I 8, I9 are secured to each other by snapping themtogether. The anchor strap I5 is shown in place in Fig. 5.

For uses where the patient is not particularly unruly but is likely tomove his arms about and interfere with the treatment it is sufficient touse only that portion of the device as it is applied in Fig. 3, that iswith the wrist straps 9 encircling the wrists and with the safety strapsI3 overlying the wrist straps where they are connected. It might,however, be desirable to apply the knee strap I! to better prevent thepatient from moving. It is, of course, understood in all applications ofthe body belt I that it should go around the back of a chair where asurgical procedure is to take place. This keeps the patient in the chairand prevents him from slumping downwardly while unconscious.

In Figs. 4 and 5 there is shown the application of the anchor strap I5with its hand encircling cross strap I5a which even more securely keepsthe patient in proper position. The hands are then held against movementand the hands and wrists are pulled down tightly due to the connectionof the anchor strap I5 between the body belt I and the knee strap I1.

The use of snap fastener such as have been described above greatlyexpedites the application of the restraint as well as it removal. Speedand facility of application and removal are important in a device ofthis type since the use of the restraint does not then affect the nervesof the patient to any great degree. It is more desirable to apply therestraint while the patient is conscious and if he is not subjected tolengthy manipulation of the apparatus in its application he will remainmuch more calm and in better condition for the treatment for which he isbeing prepared. Because the various straps can be easily connected anddisconnected I provide the safety straps I3 so that the main restrainingelements, namely the wrist straps 9, will not become accidentallyunfastened.

The straps are preferably made of a soft pliable material such aspre-shrunk woven cotton or a synthetic fibrous material which can belaundered and sterilized. An additional advantage of the snap fastenersis that they are smooth and have no sharp prongs such as is the case inordinary buckles which have proven by experience to occasionally injurethe skin of the patients hands or arms. The snap fasteners should beplated so that they will not tarnish, corrode or become easily markedwith scratches.

While I have disclosed the invention as being used on a patient beingseated in a chair, it is, of course, to be understood that it could alsobe used on an operating table or any other suitable medical or surgicalequipment.

While I have described my invention as being particularly adaptable foruse with anesthesia and/or surgery it is, of course, to be understoodthat it might have various other applications such as in the case ofmental patients. In the latter event the strap arrangement can be placedat the rear of the patient with his hands behind him to prevent him fromstruggling during periods where mental state brings on violent physicalreactions, and, of course, it will be understood that various changesmay be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of thevarious parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a restraining device for anesthesia and surgery and the like, abelt adapted to be secured about the lower body portion of a patient andoverlie his wrists, a pair of wrist straps secured to said belt inrelatively closely spaced relation and diverging downwardly from saidbelt, each of said straps being adapted to be looped upon itself andabout a wrist of the patient, quick detachable connectors for holdingsaid straps in their looped positions, and a pair of safety strapssecured to said belt and overlying said wrist encircling straps when thelatter are in their detachably looped positions to prevent accidentaldisplacement of the quick detachable connectors on said wrist encirclingstraps.

2. In a restraining device for anesthesia and surgery and the likewherein the hands of patient lie adjacent each other and adjacent thebody, a belt adapted to be secured about the lower body portion of apatient and lie across his wrists, a pair of wrist straps secured tosaid belt in relatively closely spaced relation and diverging outwardlyfrom said belt, quick detachable connections on said wrist straps andcomprising separable head and socket fasteners separable under actualtension, said wrist straps being foldable upon themselves to providewrist encircling loops and securable in that position by said quickdetachable connections, and a pair of safety straps secured to said beltand positioned to be swung over said looped wrist straps and havingquick detachable connectors for releasably securing them over said wriststraps, said wrist straps preventing accidental release of said wriststrap connectors when subjected to strains by movement of the patient.

3. In a restraining device for anesthesia and surgery, a belt adapted tobe secured about the lower body portion of a patient and overlie hiswrists, a pair of wrist straps secured to said belt in relativelyclosely spaced relation and diverging away from said belt, said wriststraps being adapted to encircle the wrists of the patient, a legencircling strap adapted to be positioned about the legs of the patientadjacent his knees, and an anchor strap extending about said body belt,one end of said anchor strap having a loop thereon adapted to receivethe opposite end of said anchor strap, and connector means fordetachably securing said opposite end of said anchor strap into a loopto connect the two ends of said anchor strap together.

4. In a restraining device for anesthesia and surgery, and the like, abelt adapted to be secured about the body portion of a patient andoverlie his wrists, a pair of wrist straps secured to said belt inrelatively closely spaced relation and having free ends, said wriststraps being adapted to encircle the wrists of the patient and havingmeans for securing them while so encircling the wrists, an anchor strapdetachably connected to said belt and having means for securing the sameto an anchoring means, said anchor strap having a laterally extendinghand strap spaced a short distance from said belt and being adapted tobe looped upon itself and about 10 a wrist of the patient, quickdetachable connectors for holding said straps in their looped positions,and a pair of safety straps secured to said belt and overlying saidwrist encircling straps when the latter are in their detachably loopedpositions to prevent accidental displacement of the quick detachableconnectors on said Wrist encircling straps.

RALPH G. PETERSON.

